LeBron James is all about fan participation. That much was obvious when the ball ricocheted into the crowd at American Airlines Arena and landed in the lap of a Miami Heat fan.

The fan, stunned he made the catch, held the ball until James motioned for a pass. After taking a slow chest pass from the fan, James fired the ball back for a little give-and-go action. He received the return throw and started up the next Heat play.

Meanwhile, the crowd cheered James' friendly gesture. Wearing James' No. 6 jersey, the fan waved to the crowd as he and James were applauded from every corner of the arena.

What was James' rationale for the prolonged passing session? A simple show of gratitude.

"I just wanted to show my appreciation to the fans that we have here. They've been great all night," James said during an ESPN telecast.

This wasn't the first time James added to the fan experience in Miami. When Michael Drysch attended a Heat game and hit a $75,000 halftime shot, James ran onto the floor and tackled him in excitement.